What Advice Would You Give to Young

UNION GROVE CHURCH OF CHRIST, CLEVELAND TN.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG GOSPEL PREACHERS?

The Psalmist wrote, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" (Psalm 37:25). I can nod my head and say, "Yes, I used to be young, too, but not anymore." There was a time when I was one of the young evangelists on the receiving end of advice. I still get and appreciate good advice from my fellow preachers who have been at it just as long or longer than I have, but I am also at a stage in life where I have so much gray hair that I am often asked questions by young preachers.

When it comes to a young man who is already preaching, or a young brother who is contemplating becoming a gospel preacher, any advice that I might offer is surely in the category of "you get what you pay for." My free advice may not be worth much, but here goes.

Young preacher, know what your work is. The "work of an evangelist" is to preach the word of God (2 Timothy 4:5,2). Like all Christians, you will want to serve others and be involved in a number of aspects of the church’s activities, but these are not inherent in the role of a gospel preacher. If you wish for other members of the church to understand the role of an evangelist, then you yourself must make certain that your own concepts of the work of a gospel preacher are based on the teaching of the Bible. Like Timothy, you are to "command and teach" the message of the Lord (1 Timothy 4:11).

Young brother, take heed to your Outlook/Attitude. Many young preachers that are skilled communicators have made a mess of things by showing a bad disposition. You need to stay humble and teachable. Regardless of what abilities you might have, you are not God’s greatest gift or an irreplaceable brotherhood brain. The church did well before you came along, and it will do just fine after your passing, so do not think too highly of yourself (Romans 12:3). If you have not yet realized it, Lord willing, you soon will: there is no perfect congregation on the earth. If you could ever find one, you would not fit in well there, because you are not perfect. There is a time to offer constructive suggestions to others about how they and the local work can make strides in the right direction, but preachers of all ages need to avoid becoming sour, incessantly negative, always complaining, and constantly with an unhappy, disgusted look on their face.

Young preacher, take heed to your own Personal Conduct. "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee" (1 Timothy 4:16). The Pharisees said some good things, but they did not back it up with the right action, so the Master rebuked them for their hypocrisy (Matthew 23:2ff). Your effectiveness ends when your behavior goes amiss. By all means, be considerate of others (Matthew 7:12). Such is so fundamental and "goes without saying," but more than a few preachers have never really matured in this area. By all means, watch yourself in how you deal with women (1 Timothy 5:2). "But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding; he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul" (Proverbs 6:32). We have many fallen soldiers who crossed the line long before any physical relations developed. Make it a rule never to visit a non-relative female without taking another person along. Thinking and planning ahead can help you avoid disaster. In an unrelated matter, try to avoid becoming cliquish with the local saints. Because you are a human, it is only natural that you (or you and your wife together) will become closer to some members than others. Still, try to stay away from being "in" only with certain elements of the congregation.

Young brother, take heed to your Own Spiritual Growth. Like the Lord, you want each person to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). But, in the process of trying to teach and help others be where they need to be in their spiritual lives, you must not fall into the trap of neglecting your own spiritual development. Like all other saints, you need to grow (2 Peter 3:18). You need to make time for your own prayer life, personal Bible study, association with faithful brethren, and opportunities to hear the word preached and be edified. Your spiritual growth is a blessing to others because the benefits of your development trickle down to them through your teaching, exhortation, and example.

Young brother, take heed to your Work Ethic. You, as an evangelist, do not work for men, but rather you work for the Master. Such an endeavor deserves the very best that you have (Colossians 3:23). In your teaching, you will surely admonish others to work diligently for the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). Guess who needs to be a pacesetter in that regard? That is correct – you do. Lazy preachers are a disgrace, and are no better in the sight of the Lord than the lazy gluttons on Crete whom Titus was told to rebuke (Titus 1:12,13). The church has no need for do-as-little-as-possible preachers that "clock out" after they have "put in their time." The work of an evangelist, if it is to be done well, requires time and much diligent effort. If you do not have the necessary self-discipline to control your activities and how you use your time, then you either need to (1) begin immediately to develop self-discipline or (2) pursue some other line of work. By the way, a real gospel preacher does not preach in order to live; rather, he lives in order to preach!

Young preacher, take heed to your actual Preaching and Teaching. Experience will be as big a help to you as anything, but because you are still young, experience is not your strong suit. One of the major keys to effectively presenting a lesson is to be well prepared. From time to time things happen, totally out of your control, that limit your preparation time. For the most part, though, if you are not well prepared for a lesson, you are at fault, and not being well prepared is a sin against the Lord for Whom you preach and the people to whom you deliver a lesson. You will have umpteen things to do in a "normal" week, but you must (and here comes the need for self-discipline again) make time to study and prepare adequately. The following suggestion may not work for everyone, but I recommend that you have a specific day of the week that you set as a deadline when your lessons for the coming Sunday must be finished on paper. For me, Tuesday at bedtime is the hour/deadline for which I shoot. Preparation early in the week helps you avoid last-minute panic when unforeseen things come up later in the week. Working late on Saturday night "to come up with something to preach" is a sorry, pitiful approach to your work. The Lord and His people deserve better.

I have two small pieces of advice for you in your lesson delivery. First, do not try to imitate other preachers. Have your own style. Believe me, natural is better than imitation. Second, in your lessons you would do well not to constantly refer to or quote from your former teachers or those preachers whom you respect. Most people will not know those men, or if they do, they do not really care what they had to say. Preach the Book. Quote its message.

Young brother, take heed to your Family. Do you have a wife? If so, she needs you to be a husband to her, just like every other married sister in the church needs her husband to do the same. Do you have kids? Do not neglect them. They will grow up so quickly that your head will swim. See to your own family’s spiritual training, but not only that, see to it that their educational, material, health, and social needs are met. It is wonderful when preachers put forth a strong effort to help people get ready for the Day of Judgment. It is great when preachers can help others obey the gospel or be restored. It is a tragedy, though, when an evangelist spends so much time and energy out of his home that he has little left to give to those who ought to be the dearest ones on earth to him. By all means, require that your family members walk the line and be a good example. After all, the brethren are watching, and one slip up by a child or your wife could make it necessary for you to call or make a trip to U-Haul. Yet, you must not be overly demanding on your family. They are not some type of Supermen or Superwomen, and it is not fair for you to expect them to be.

Young brother, take heed to your Finances. Pay your bills, live within your means, set some money aside for retirement, and, when you need it, ask for a raise. Learn all you can about taxes – learn your obligations as well as your opportunities under the law to save money.

Young preacher, take heed to your Commitment. People will disappoint us from time to time, just as we, for sure, will disappoint them. You may become frustrated by the lack of numerical and spiritual growth, and you may wonder if what you are trying to do is really worth it. It is – remember the power of the gospel and Who it is that gives the increase. You must not become weary in well doing (Galatians 6:9). You enlisted as a life-time soldier in the Lord’s army, so remember your commitment to Him (Luke 9:23; 14:33).

Young preacher, take heed to your Evangelistic Spirit. Oh, how we need a revival of preachers’ love for teaching the lost. Yes, we need gospel preachers throwing it down in the pulpit and in the classroom, but few churches make strides in numerical growth without their evangelists being active on the front lines of the warfare of personal evangelism.

My ramblings must cease with three final appeals. First, visit in the homes of the members – not to be a pastor, but to get to know people. This will pay huge benefits for you and help you know people’s thoughts, desires, and needs. Second, do not compare yourselves with other preachers. It is an unhealthy practice. Finally, keep studying. Study, study, study. We need a generation of preachers who know the Book. Without men of knowledge instructing us, we will not go far.

-- Roger D. Campbell